Multiple valve



Oct. 8, 1957 M. H. AUKERMAN Erm. 2,808,882

MULTIPLE VALVE Filed Dec. l, 1953 .5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mac-ULM Harry 4am-mwa# @LVM 9 Y 42 Ar-rorzNsYs.

Oct. 8, 1957 M. H. AUKERMAN ET AL 2,808,882

MULTIPLE VALVE Filed Deo. l, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTO R' N EYS.

INVENToRs.

OCL 8, 1957 'M H. AUKERMAN E'rAL 2,808,332

` MULTIPLE VALVE -Filed Dec. 1, 1953' .5 Sheets-Sheet 3 44 Baza Razz. l

pill -l T"i L i if i i @AML A'rroRNeYs.

United States Batam@ MULTIPLE VALVE.

Malcolm Harry Aukerman and Hubert Leon Lincoln, Y Y Eaton, Ohio Y Application December 1, 1953, Serial No. 395,384 3 Claims. (Cl. 161f-7) this tank, whereby the calcium and magnesium salts which 7 render the water hard are converted to the soluble sodium salts, while the calcium is retained inthe resin. vThe soft water then ilows into the Water system of the residence.l

In systems of this sort it is necessary periodically Vto backwash the system vto flush out solid material trapped by the resin in av filtering action. For this purpose, the ow through the water softener tank is reversed and the solid material is-iiushed out of the resin andpasses into a drain. t.'

Also periodically, it is necessary to regenerate theA resin by the addition of common salt. When the salt is added to the water softener tank, meansf must lne-,provided for the overiiow to pass out to a drainand it is desirable, if 30 the salt has been added, to run hardwater through the i water softener for a period of timeup vto perhaps as much as two hours to removethe salt.V taste from the water. Y Y' In water softening systernsof-thisV type, in order to accomplish the various operations outlined above, there have in the past been provided a number of valveslcontrolling a somewhat complicated piping system, such that the average housewife was not able to performthe necessary operations herself.

With the foregoing considerations in mind, it is the prin'- cipal objectof our present invention'to provide a multiple valve having a single control lever or knob which may be set in one of the number of positions so as to perform one or another of the various operations outlined above.

It is another object of our invention to provide a multiple valve as outlined which will be simplei and positive'in action so that even a child can perform the necessary operationsin connection with the water softening 50 system.

lt is yet another object of the invention to provide/a mechanism whereby itis unnecessary to run the water through the domestic water system in ushing out the salt taste and whereby, ins'tead, during"the iushirg eration, the water -does not enter the residence system lat lall but passes out to a`drain. Q i. f

These and many other object sjofthe inventionfwhich will be described in detail hereinafterror: hichfwillmbe-l come apparent to one skilled in tlie`ar t, upon reading these 6o specifications, we accomplishby, thatceita and arrangement of parts of which we shall no an exemplary embodimenn Figure 1 is a top plan view of'a valve accordi invention 'Figure 2 is a front elevational view of Figure 3 is a bottom'plan view of"the.

Figure 4 is a sideelevational viewV 70 right side of Figure 2.v

`Figure 5 is a side elevational view as sie r` 1 fr'on i left sideof Figure 2. A'

the saine-fof!` ame.

ice

Figure 6 is a cross sectional `view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 yis a diagrammatic view of the valve and the associated water softeningtank showing the ow during a water softening operation. i

' Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 6 on a reduced scale showing the positions of the valves.

Figure 10 is a cross sectionalview taken on the line 10-16 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a view similarto Figure 8 showing the flow during a backwash operation.

Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 9 showing the positions ofthe valves during this operation.

Figure 13 is ay cross sectional viewtaken on the line 113-13 of Figure 12 showing the iiow during the backwash operation. Y t

Figure 14 is a view similarto Figures 8 and-1l showing `the iiow during the ,s'alt Vor regeneratingoperation.

Figure 15 is aview similar to Figures 9 and 12 showing the positions oftheyalves. 1

Figure 16 isa crosssectional view taken ou the line lldof Figure 15. v Figure V17 is a view similar to Figures 8, 11 and 14 showing the ow during, the liushing operation which immediately follows the salting operation.

Figure 18 is a view-similar to Figures 9, l2 and 15 showing the positions of the valves. YFigure =19 is a cross sectional View takerion'the. line 19-19 of Figure 18. Figure 20 is a cross sectional View. taken on theline Ztl-J0 of Figure 19 'on an enlarged scale, showing the closedv position of the, diaphragm 'valvelrf Figure 21 is a viewl similar :to Figure 20 showing the Y open position of the diaphragm valve.

`Figure 22 is an enlarged view ofl a portion of Figure 6 showing the pressure adjustment of `one of the'l valvesgand Figure 23 is an exploded view showing the manner of attachment of the multiplevalve to the water softening tank. Brieiiy, in 4the practice of our invention, we providey a .valve having a body within which there is an entrance chamber, a irst intermediate chamber, a second intermediate chamber, a drain *chamberV and a cam chamber.

Y An inlet port for hard water-'communicates with the entrance chamber. A port having a valve communicates with the iirst intermediate chamber and another port having a'valve communicates between the entrance chamber and the second intermediate chamber. A port having a valve communicates between the second intermediate chamber and the drain chamber. The rst'inte'rrnediate chamber has an inlet `port for softened water and adeliv# veryport for softenedwwater.' :The second intermediate chamber has a delivery port for hardiwater and the drain chamber has a'drairi port. il i 1 The softwater :delivery por-toffthe `first intermediate chamber communioatesnwith. a diaphragm chamber which.

has a port for'delivery of soft wate'rtothe-'residentielv sys tem andi which portmay' be closed by afvalve actuated Therefis a .communicationbetween 'the ".diaphragmf'chamber bei youd the Vdiaphragm' .andethedrain chamber aiid/ this; coni munica'tion is controlled by.anormallyclosedvalve which may be opened for apredeterminedperiodoftinie-feria is `open' causes ilushing operation. .andi Which, when" the diaphragnivalve toclosef "rfi Referring now in more detail tothe drawings,

valve itself is disclosed iriFig'ures lto 7 inclusive. The` ng through i valvebody is designatedzgerierally at 1 0 and is wit'hltheV inletfportv 1 -the port ll'enters the'entrance chamber 12. chamber isV provided with two ports, 13 and 14; The port 13 communicates with a first intermediate chamber 1S and the. part 14 Ccmmunatss with a ssadinfeuuediafe chamber 16: AV portv 17 communicates betwcen'thejsec.- ond intermediate chamber 16 and the drain chamber 18. The drain chamber 18 has a drain port 19. The iirst intermediate chamber is provided with a port 20 which maybe designated a soft water supply port and a port 21 which may be designated a soft water delivery port. The second intermediate chamber 1 6 has a port 22 which may be designatedv a hard water delivery port. g

The ports 1 3, 14 and 17,aree substantially in the same horizontal plane and are aligned with each other. These Y ports are closed by the Vrespective valvesi23, 2;4 and .25.'

Each of these valvesfhas a'stcm, 25, 2.7 and 2,8 respectively, the axes of which are in the same vertical plane.

Thevalve stems have bearings in the bosses 29, V3Q and 31 respectively, in the walls 29a, 30o and 31a. TheV stemsarc sealed within their bearings by the O-rings as shown.Y The valves are urged downwardly by the respectivev springs 32, 33 and 3.4. As will be described in greater detailhereinaf-ter, the axial position ofl the'valve stem 246A,

with relation to lthe valve`23, can be adjusted to tgake care of varying water pressures and this construction will be described later in connection with Figure 22.

A camshaft 35 is journaledin the body with its axis -in the same planeas the axes` of the valve 'stems-'26, 27

and 2S, and at right angles thereto. The cam shaft 35 is sealed whereit passes'through the walls 36, 37 and Y318 by means of O-rings as shown. For each of the valve stems the 'cam shaft carries a cam 39, 40 and 41, rcspectively, and exteriorly of the body the earn shaft is provided with the manual control knob 42. VAs will ber explained in more detail hereinafter, thecams 39, 40 and 41. are arranged in certain positions so that the control Vlnztob 42 may be set in any one of three positions entitled soft, backwash, and salt, so as tot connect the vario us ports in the appropriate way to perform the. various operations previously outlined;

The soft water delivery .port 21 communicates with aA diaphragm chamber as best seen in Figures I9, and 2,1. The diaphragm chamber is indicated generally at N y h f-ring tank is indicated at 74 and it contains a body of resin 55. A removable-cover is shown at S6; -A- tting-Si communica-tes with a pipe 58 extending to near the bottom of the tank 74 and a fitting 59'communicates with the pipe 60 extending upwardly. During the ordinary water softening operation, thc/:control knob 42 is set in the soft position. `In this position,;as best seen in Figur@ attire central. valve 4. is, gaat while the valves 23 and 2S are closed., Hardwater from a source entering the mail.. passes thraugll. the.. aan 1.4 inta the intermediatc chamber "16 and"thence through the port`22 to the fitting 59 on the water :softening tank. The water iiows @Qwnwardlv thrqualisthe .resiuous materia! 55 and up thrgughthripe 58ans the fitting 57 to the port 2 0t The wat'erlwhis is ahw sottrarre. throught@ port, 20

through tlieurst intermediate chamber 15 and through the. port .2i intcths diaphragm Chamber. @resister-he valve 59.18. 'closed and the telve 46 is Open.. it passes out through the. han 6.1 to the residence Wafer System ina soitclititiga.

"BeC-kwark During the Voperation of a water softening system of this nature, the vresinous material acts as a filter and collects particles'of solid'material., It is periodically necessary to backWQSl the water softener to flush out this filtered mterial.- Referrngtq Figures 11 to `1?: inclusive, with'the control knob 42 setfat *tbaclrwashd and by reference to Figure 12, lit will 13e-observed that thervalves v23 and 25 are open while the valve 24 is closed. Water entering at llipasscs through thev port 13 in to the intermediate chamber `15 andiriay pass through the port 21 43 and contains Va diaphragm 44 to which is secured the A stem 45 of a valve 46 which is adapted to close the port 47 through which soft water is delivered to the residence system. The 'two sides of the diaphragm chamber on either side of the diaphragm are in communicationY by means of a port 48 passing through the diaphragm and in the diaphragm chamber beyond the diaphragm is a passage 49 which may be closed by a valve S0. The passage 49 communicates by means of a pipe 51 with a passage 52 (Figure 19) which in turn communicates through an opening 53 (FigurelS). with the drain port 19.

The valve 5 9 is normally closed, as seen itt-Figure 21,

but it may be opened bymeans of a timer mechanism indicated generally atv 54. It will be clearthat with the valve 50 closed, water entering the diaphragm vchamber f 43 can pass through the p ort 43 -andwill bear on both sides of the diaphragm 44 with equal pressure. The dia.-

-the pressure on the right side of the diaphragm, as seen in Figures 20 and 21', or in other words behind'the dial Rfereic'e .is abwgmdei f ol Hinges 's te .10 @have S119 @lathe Str-@1.1L S9i Operatie@ A Waterjsoiteh* vphragm will, therefore, be in 'the position of FigureY 2l -60 .with the valve 46 open. `If now the-timermech-anism is actuated to openthe valve 50 Vas in Figure :20, water Y passing through the port 48 can pass out through the l k' tt passages 49, 51, SZYand 53 to the drain port 19, so that 9'0"?" QQY'IQQXI -phragm, is reducedv with respect to the pressure infront lto the residencesystem without being softened. Assuming, however, thatiall the faucets in the house are shut olf,

the water `passes throughthe port 20 `and thence ina reverse ftow'through'the tank 74 and returns to the valve at the port 22 and entersl the second intel-mediate chamber 1,6. From there it passes through the port 1'7 under the'valve 25 and fout th drain tting19 so that thersolid materialushed outV of the` softening tank is ushed down the drain;

:I- Salty Periodically it is necessary in systems of the type herein referred. t9, ta regenerate therssin by the additimvf Cammen salt.. Sinin the. tank 14. is. narmally. full ef.- Water, it W11 be understand that when Salt is added, 2 1 Gerwin amount@ the Water is displaced aad-provision must be made @reveillon In themsalt position, the valves. 2 3

and@ are c lsefl and the valve 2.5 'is open so. that Overiiew Water, from the tank 74. entering the. port 2.2. passes thrugh. 11.19911 l.16 and thea'under the valve .25

thrmih. fhl. lchambsrflfarid out. the drain .15;9-y .11(1

manner provision is made. for overflow caused by the addtigtl Qf. Sait t9 the tanti-74. Y

' Y' VFluslu'ngout excess salt:

. the. regenerative .'Qr. .saltina operation... the. water -altvteste for a. ywhilefand it isi Idesirabe i0 let the wa er run down the drain `for aperiod of 'time to @salt taste Far. thsoperton, the Control 'turned to. the saft. piosition 'and 'the' timer y54.

taste, from tf1 We mplcy a timer o f rthe Spring .sli may be Set up' for' Periodsuil the tank 7'4 reentersat por't20` and passes into the f intermediate chamber 15 audtheass'tqthepqrt'21int the diaphragm vifhainber'.v Since the valvegllc the pressure behind the diaphragm is lower than the pressure in front of the diaphragm so that the diaphragm occupies the position of Figures 19 and 20. The valve 46 is, therefore, closed and the water passes through the passages 49, 51, S2 and 53 and the drain 19. This condition prevails until the timer 54 returns to Zero at which time the valve 50 is closed, whereupon the diaphragm returns to the position of Figure 2l opening the valve 46 and the valve is back to the condition of Figures 8 to 10 inclusive.

It is desirable that the valve 23 be capable of adjustment to take care of dierent water pressures. We have provided means whereby the opening of the valve 23 may be adjusted by providing an adjusting screw 62 having a slot 63. By adjusting the screw 62, the position of the valve stem 26, in relation to the valve 23, may be adjusted. The screw 62 is turned by a member 64 passing through the valve body and having a bearing in the body at 65 and having a blade 66 engaging in the slot 63 and having, exteriorly of the casing, a slot 67. By adjustment of the member 64 from outside the valve body, the degree of opening of the valve 23 can thus be adjusted.

In Figure 23 we have shown a convenient way in which the valve body 10 may be attached to a tank 74. A plate 70 is suitably welded over an opening 71 in the wall of the tank 74. To the plate 70 are attached the fittings 59 and 57. Threaded holes 72 are also provided in the plate 70. The wall of the valve body, having the ports 20 and 22, is made in the form of a plate having holes for the passage of bolts 73 which may be screwed into the holes 72 when the valve is attached to the tank.

This arrangement is very convenient since the valve may readily be disconnected from the tank if it is desired to move the tank for any purpose whatever. When the valve body has been disconnected from the tank, the port 20 may be plugged and with the control knob 42 in the backwash position, hard water can still be supplied to the residence system.

From the foregoing description, it will be noted that we have provided a unitary control for a number of valves whereby various operations in connection with an ion exchange type water softening system may be performed. While we have described the valve particularly in connection with such a water softening system, it will be understood that it is capable of many other uses. For convenience and by way of identification only, certain of the ports have been identified in the description in terms of soft water entrance port, soft water delivery port, hard water entrance port, hard water delivery port and the like. lt should be understood that these are simply for convenience in identifying' theparticular ports and that the valve may be used in installations where entirely different tiuids ow through the ports.

Furthermore, the portion of the valve including the diaphragm chamber with the diaphragm, the valve 46, the valve 50 and the timer, is in the nature of a renement. The valve will function without this refinement except that for the flushing operation it will be necessary to ush the water through the residence system by leaving a water faucet open somewhere in the house. It will also be necessary to shut 0E the faucet after a required length of time because the operation will not be automatic. With the renement of the diaphragm valve and the timer valve, the operation is automatic because the knob 42 is returned to soft position and as soon as the timer 54 has run its course, soft water without a salty taste will automatically be available.

For these reasons, therefore, we do not intend to limit ourselves to various details disclosed herein by way of example, but to limit ourselves only insofar as specifically set forth in the claims.

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A valve comprising a body having an entrance chamber, a drain chamber, a first intermediate chamber, a second intermediate chamber, and a diaphragm chamber, an inlet port in said entrance chamber, a valve port between said entrance chamber and tirst intermediate chamber, a valve port between said entrance chamber and second intermediate chamber, a valve port between said second intermediate chamber and said drain chamber, and a drain port in said drain chamber, an entrance port in said irst intermediate chamber, a delivery port in said rst intermediate chamber, communicating with said diaphragm chamber, a delivery port in said second intermediate chamber, a valve associated with each of said valve ports, common manual control means for said valves located exteriorly of said chamber, and an operative connection between said control means and said valves, a diaphragm in said diaphragm chamber, a valve port in said diaphragm chamber, a normally open valve for said diaphragm chamber valve port operatively connected to said diaphragm, a port bypassing said diaphragm, a passage connecting said diaphragm chamber on the other side of said diaphragm from said diaphragm chamber valve port with said drain chamber, a normally closed valve for said passage and a timer for opening said normally closed valve for a predetermined period of time whereby to cause said diaphragm valve to close and to place said delivery port in said first intermediate chamber in communication with said drain chamber.

2. A valve for water softening systems of the ion exchange type, and the like, comprising a body, an entrance chamber in said body, an inlet port for said entrance chamber, two outlet ports for said chamber, a valve for closing each of said outlet ports, one of said outlet ports communicating with a second chamber, said second chamber communicating with a delivery port and with a supply port, the other of said outlet ports communicating with a third chamber, a drain port for said third chamber and a valve for closing said drain port, all of said valves having stems and said stems being aligned, a valve control shaft having its axis in the plane of the axes of said stems and at right angles thereto, a cam on said control shaft for each of said stems, and -a manually settable element on said control shaft exteriorly of said body for positioning said shaft and thereby said valves in one position to open said other valve only, in a second position to open said drain valve only, or in a third position to open said one valve and said drain valve only.

3. A valve according to claim 2, wherein there is provided a diaphragm chamber having a diaphragm, said diaphragm chamber being in communication with said seoond chamber delivery port, a valved port in said diaphragm chamber having a valve secured to said diaphragm, a port behind said diaphragm and a normally closed valve for said last named port, a port in said diaphragm chamber bypassing said diaphragm whereby pressure on both sides of said diaphragm is-normally equal and said diaphragm valve is normally open, and means for opening said normally closed valve for a predetermined length of time, said last named port communicating with said drain, whereby when said last named port is open, the pressure behind said diaphragm is reduced, said diaphragm is deflected and said diaphragm valve closes.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,042,178 Lauterbur et al. May 26, 1936 2,052,515 Pick Aug. 25, 1936 2,061,797 Eisenhauer Nov. 24, 1936 2,231,460 Barman Feb. 1l, 1941 2,309,032 Zimmerman Ian. 19, 1943 2,438,407 Kreuser Mar. 23, 1948 2,610,945 Purcell et al Sept. 16, 1952 2,646,072 Sebald July 21, 1953 2,665,251 Mendenhall Jan. 5, 1954 

